Recording Industry Association of America
| Abbreviation | RIAA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1952 |
| Type | Licensing and royalties, technical standards |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Location |
|
Chairman and CEO | Mitch Glazier |
| Website | riaa |
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization representing the U.S. recording industry. Its members include major record labels and distributors, which the RIAA states “create, manufacture, and/or distribute approximately 85 percent of all legally sold recorded music in the United States.”[1] RIAA is headquartered in Washington, D.C.[2][3]
RIAA was formed in 1952.[4] Its original mission was to administer recording copyright fees and problems, work with trade unions, and do research relating to the record industry and government regulations.[5] Early RIAA standards included the RIAA equalization curve,[6] the format of the stereophonic record groove and the dimensions of 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm records.[7]
RIAA says its current mission includes protecting intellectual property rights and the First Amendment rights of artists; performing research about the music industry; and monitoring and reviewing relevant laws, regulations, and policies for the purpose of advocacy.[1]
Between 2001 and 2020, RIAA spent between $2.4 million and $6.5 million annually on lobbying in the United States.[8] The organization ramped up its lobbying efforts in 2025, partly in response to artificial intelligence.[9][10]
RIAA also participates in the collective rights management of sound recordings, and it is responsible for certifying gold and platinum albums and singles in the United States, a system that was the first of its kind in the global music industry and set the standard for music recording certification worldwide.
- ^ a b "Who We Are". RIAA. Archived from the original on November 12, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ "Privacy Policy Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on September 13, 2011. "RIAA, 1025 F Street NW, 10th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20004."
- ^ "RIAA Archived December 31, 2015, at the Wayback Machine." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on September 13, 2011. "We are located at 1025 F ST N.W., 10th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20004."
- ^ "RIAA Celebrates 50 Years Of Gold Records". RIAA News Room. August 11, 2008. Archived from the original on August 18, 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
- ^ "New Disk Trade Org To Swing Into Action", Billboard Magazine, September 22, 1951, pages 13 and 20
- ^ "RIAA phono equalization article by Don Hoglund". graniteaudio.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ "RIAA Standards For Stereophonic Disc Records". aardvarkmastering.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2006. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ "Recording Industry Assn of America: Summary". Lobbying Spending Database. OpenSecrets. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ^ Lyte, Alex (June 20, 2025). "RIAA Ramps Up Lobbying to $2.5M in Q1 2025, Targets AI and Copyright Protection". Legis1. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ^ Leibfreid, Megan (March 20, 2025). "RIAA Leads Music Community in AI Filing – US Creative Leadership Paves the Way for Innovation". RIAA. Retrieved August 1, 2025.